Fight or Flight
by Dragon J. 14
Summary: There's a New Flock in town and they have their own story. AU
1. Free Fall

**A.N.: You can tell I've been busy….**

Prologue: the Free Fall

Don't put this down, don't even blink. You have no idea what can happen in a blink of an eye. Just read. This is the story of my family, dysfunctional yes, but family none the less. I'm called Dane. I'm the leader of my family. There is also Knot (17, second in command), Arrow (16, weapons expert), Jam (13, dark and gloomy), Mittens (11, Won't shut up), Nathan (17, the only one who can control Arrow) and Cork (10, the know it all). Girls outnumber the guys, but that is ok with me, as long as we stay out of trouble.

We are not normal at all, seriously. The five of us live alone in the secluded Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. You might be thinking "That is not very secluded." Where we are… good luck even knowing we exist. That is not the weirdest thing. We are experiments from a scientific research center called the School. They did tests on us and turned us into flying-bird-kid-hybrids. Nice, sort of. We have wings and super senses. Not to mention super strength and useful fighting skills that would make Chuck Norris's jaw drop. The School did this to us, which makes me mad, but I don't know how life would be any other way.

You might be thinking why you need to know this, but it is very important. The fate of the world may rest in these pages. This is going to be a rollercoaster that has just opened. Sit down, take a breath, open your mind, and please keep reading…

***

I LOVE Virginia. The crisp streams and dense woods. The greens, the browns, and the blues. It's beautiful. From where I sit, I can look down into the valley and see for miles in each direction. I sit up here a lot and just think. If I'm bothered or just need space, I'm right here.

"Dane?" said a voice from overhead. I looked up to see the tall, brown haired second command of the Flock.

"Hey Knot" I looked into her chocolate brown eyes and smiled.

"What are you doin'" She asked as she sat next to me. Knot tucked in her creamy, white wings so they were not visible.

"Nothing" I said and looked back out into the breath taking scenery.

"Do you remember?" Knot asked me in a quiet voice. I knew exactly what she was talking about. The School.

The scientists there did some devastating things to each of us. Knot, looked completely normal on the outside, but they did a test on her making her be able to read minds. Arrow got injected with a substance that would enhance most of her skills, but it backfired and she lost her memory. Nathan has lost his ability talk (don't let scientists make you fight dog human hybrids; they'll rip out your larynx). Mittens is well, a mouth full. She is fidgety and she just won't shut up at all, no matter what. Jam is all dark and gloomy because of all the pain and terror that he endured. Cork is the most normal. She has little memory of the School because she was like eight when we got out, but I know she has trouble sleeping because of the nightmares.

Wondering how we got out? Well, it's because two of the scientists felt bad of us, and out of pity, they helped us and six other bird kids escape. It was storming and Knot, Nathan, Arrow, Mittens, Cork, Jam, Benny the scientist and I were flying above the van housing the other kids and the scientist Jeb. We got separated, and we haven't seen the others since. If you are wondering, I was carrying Benny. Benny raised us kids into independent, responsible bird kids. Then two years ago Benny mysteriously left, leaving a sixteen year old, now eighteen year old, in charge. We all know he is dead, but we can't let that bother us.

"Everyday" I said to Knot, "it's hard being the only two that truly understand that place. Benny told us too much."

"I know" Knot said, leaning against my arm, "Do you think what he told you was true? That you have to save the world."

"No" I said bluntly, "I don't want to leave the safety of home."

"Well, speaking of home" Knot began, "It's getting late and you know what happens when Arrow tries to cook."

"That would not be good" I said, worry evident in my voice, "Let's go."

"Right" She said, unfolding her white wings. I followed suit unfolding my cream and brown ones.

We took off together, gaining altitude fast. Soon we were at a thousand feet. The feel of wind tugging at your hair and it rushing under your wings is unimaginable. It takes my breath away.

"Race you!" Knot shouted over the wind to me. A smile rose onto my face. She is going down. I rushed forward, gaining speed. Extreme speed.

"NOT FAIR!" Knot shouted, trying to catch up, but even she knew it was pointless.


	2. They're Here

Part 1 We Are Not Alone- Anymore

1.  
Arrow was sitting on the large, downy couch in the den of the Hawk Haven. That is our house. It is at the top of a large mountain. It is in the shape of a F. Don't ask. Arrow patiently waited for Dane and Knot to return. All of us are old enough to take care of ourselves, but we stick together because we don't trust anyone else and we have nowhere else to go. Right before Arrow reached down for a magazine, she jumped out of her skin as heavy metal music shook the house. That made her angry as she trekked to the second floor far wing, a.k.a. Falcon Foyer (the boy's dorm. The girl's is Heron Hall.) Arrow banged hard on the gothic thirteen year-old's door.

"JAM!" The dark haired girl shouted, "Turn it down!"

"NO!" she heard the African American yell from the other side.

"JAM!" Arrow screamed once again, "You are killing brain cells!"

"I don't care" He said, but turned the music down a hair anyway.

"Well, well" said a voice behind her. Odd, Mittens and Cork are in their room, and Nathan can't talk. As she turned, she came face to face with a bird kid's worst enemy. An Eraser. Erasers are wolfish human hybrids. They were the ones responsible for Nathan's injury. Sadly, Arrow didn't know what these devilish things were. Her memory was not as it used to be.

"What?" Arrow began right as she was hit hard. She flew across the hall and hit the wall.

"ARROW!" yelled an eleven year old girl with bleach blonde hair as she and an Asian looking twelve year old both ran to her.

"I'M FINE!" Arrow called to them as she got to her feet, "GET OUT!"

"Not so fast" said a second growling Eraser. His attack was intercepted by an exceptionally tall, blonde haired bird kid. Nathan had a furious look on his face as he punched and kicked at the Eraser. Jam exited his room to see Erasers attacking his family. He leapt twenty feet and crashed into the Eraser who was bullying Mittens and Cork.

"AAAHHHH!" screamed Mittens as she was thrown out the window.

"MITTENS!" Jam yelled going after her, but was grabbed from behind. These things were strong and wanted blood.

"LET GO OF HIM!" Arrow grabbed the Eraser, kicking at his legs. The Eraser growled and elbowed Arrow in the head. She cried out and fell to the floor. If Nathan could scream, he would have. His anger was making the air seem heavy. This scared Jam. He has never seen Nathan in this state. Nathan boxed on of the Eraser's ears and elbowed the other in the stomach. He smiled when he heard his enemies cries in pain. The Eraser grew furious with Nathan and shoved the boy out the window after Mittens.

"Nathan!" Jam bellowed before he was knocked in the back of the head and sunk to the floor.

"Let go of me" little Cork squirmed as the Eraser held her up by her ankle.

"Doesn't she look tasty?" the Eraser's voice was gruff. The Eraser shoving Jam and Arrow into bags laughed slightly.

"Sadly, she is not to be eaten" he walked over and knocked Cork out with a shift blow, "sweet dreams."

The two Erasers gather the three bags and run out of Hawk Haven, but not without leaving a surprise.


	3. Where Are They?

2.

I look in horror at what once was our lovely house. Knot shared the same look as mine. The question is, what happened?

"What happened?" I look at Knot, she smirked.

"I can read your thoughts" She looked around at the burning mess, "I don't know."

Hawk Haven has been wiped off the map. The whole top level is gone, the bottom level is charred and unrecognizable. Where are the others? Knot seemed to read my mind once again and started to look through the rubble.

"Arrow!" I shouted. "Jam!"

"Cork! Nathan!" I hear not some distance away.

"Knot" I pull a frail body out from under a part of I think is Arrow and Knot's bedroom wall.

"Mittens!" Knot knelt down next to us.

"She's alive" I hold the girl close to my chest. Innocent mittens. She barely remembers the school. She is already so young.

"Mittens?" Knot said gently, "Who did this?"

Mittens struggled to stay awake. She was burned and bloody. She opened her mouth to say something but passes out. I look up at Knot, tears clouding my vision. She is almost as pale as Mittens. I know Knot read Mitten's mind.

"Erasers" Knot said with a serious tone. Somehow I knew she was going to say that. I get to my feet and keep searching.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" I scream and yell, kicking things.

"Dane!" Knot's gentle hands rested on my shoulders and I instantly relaxed as she sent images to me. Well, to my head.

"They are gone" I turn to her.

"Dane, I listen to you" Knot said tears in her own eyes, "What shall we do?"

"We go to the school and get them back" I swear, "Let's just hope we get there and they are alive."

Knot nodded as I scooped up the little girl in my arms. The two of us took off, not really knowing where to go. One thing is true. We have to go back to the one place we fear the most.

The School.

**A.N.: I'm going to post these two or three at a time. They are short because James Patterson had his chapters only two or three pages long, but there were like 90 chapters per book. So yeah. I'm shooting for around 30-40… but it will take a few months. I'll up date one or two times a week.  
****Also… this is not just about the flock. Right now you are only seeing once side of the story.  
****No this will not have Max in it. Part 2 will have Max in it, but not much.  
****This is going to be a two part thing. Each having 30-40 chapters. **

**Just thought you all want to know the scoop of the story and what not.**

**Read and Review.**


	4. We Have to Find Them

**A.N.: Yes. I worked on this in English class after I finished my essay. Don't ask how.**

3.

We are flying. I'm totally clueless about where we are going. I'm sort of just flying. I know we have to land to take care of Mittens, but the rest of our flock is in peril. I'm torn. I'm the leader and I'm completely clueless about what the heck we are going to do. We need to land. I need to think… and get a map. So the school is in someplace called New Mexico, where ever that is.

"Follow me" I start to descend, Knot on my tail.

"We need a plan" Knot said as soon as we landed, apparently she likes to read my thoughts.

"I know" I reply.

She waited for me to think things through.

What do we do? What is this is one giant trap? I really have no idea what the answer to that is. The question that really bothered me is who are they after? What were they looking for? Did they find it?

"Dane" Knot warned me, "Keep control"

I nod and went back to my thoughts. We do need to go after them, no matter the risk. We take risks just living together. There was something behind this, something bigger. If they knew we were here, why did they wait until now to go after us?

"I don't know" Knot responded to my thought.

"Let's fly" I pick up Mittens and take off.

We head west. We have some sort of internal compass that tells us were he are going. Must be a bird thing. Sadly, it doesn't include a map. We keep on going. We have to get there. We have to find them.


	5. Caged

4.

The four bird kids sat in their own birdcages. It was cold and the only light was a small ceiling window. Nathan looked around. Cork was in the cage to his right. Arrow was across the aisle, still unconscious. Jam, well, he could not see Jam.

Cork let out a small whimper as she held her swollen ankle. Nathan reached out of his cage to comfort her, but Cork was just out of reach. A sob shook the ten year old's frame and all Nathan could do is sit there. A voice piped up from right above him.

"Rest your ankle against the bars," It was Jam, "it might make it feel better."

Cork did as he suggested and her whimpering quieted.

Nathan leaned against the bars of his cage. He remembers this place and it does not evoke happy memories. Jam and Cork barely remember this hell hole. This is where Arrow lost her memory. Here is where he lost his voice. Nathan reached up and touched the scar across his neck. The school did surgery to repair Nathan's neck so he could breathe and eat, but not talk.

Double doors opened from across the room. Three large men and a women all in lab coats walked down the aisles between the cages, talking softly. They stopped in front of Arrow's cage. The woman unlocked the cage after making sure the bird-kid was unconscious and two of the men hauled her out.

Nathan opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out of it. He preceded to bang against his cage, determined to get out and save Arrow.

The third man laughed and Nathan before slamming his fist into the boy's face. Nathan crumpled to the floor of his metal cage.


	6. Awake

5.

Arrow's eyes fluttered open. She instantly sat up on high alert. Then she remembered the attack.

_Where am I? Where are the others?_

She examined her room. The whole room was a blinding white. The only piece of furniture was the padded table she sat on, which was equally as white. Arrow hopped off and did a 360 around the room. Nothing. She ran her hand across all the walls. There was no sign of a door. Arrow looked up, still not sign of an entrance. Nor one below her.

Arrow sighed and collapsed on the table, defeated.

When all hope seemed lost, there was a hissing noise. Arrow was up on her feet with her fists ready as part of the wall behind her slid open. She spun around, ready to attack, but froze.

"Benny?" Arrow's heart skipped a beat, "You're dead!"

Benny shook his head to dismiss the comment. Arrow does not know how she recognized him.

I guess my memory is getting better.

Benny wasn't alone. There was a kid with him. This kid had to be younger then her. Like a lot younger. Arrow was curious as to why a child would be here.

"Come with me," Benny said. The two turned away from the door. Arrow was hesitant to follow.

"Are you coming or what?" the kid poked his head back in. Arrow followed slowly.

"Where are you taking me?" Arrow turned to Benny.

"Do you ever wonder why you are here in the first place? The tests they performed?" Benny didn't look at Arrow while they walked down a long, bright hallway. Arrow knew what tests he was referring to and was slightly scared of the answer.

There was a bloodcurdling shriek that caused Arrow to jump. She grew scared with every step.

_What are they going to do to me?_

"Welcome home" Benny held open a door for her and she stepped though.


End file.
